


I Can Only Imagine

by MeltedIceAngel



Series: NCT Fic Requests [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Childbirth, Established Relationship, Fluff, Huang Ren Jun & Lee Donghyuck | Haechan Are Best Friends, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mpreg, Na Jaemin is Whipped, Poor Renjun is going to have to retake his exam, Unplanned Pregnancy, Zhong Chenle and Huang Ren Jun are siblings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-08
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2020-11-27 07:49:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20944856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeltedIceAngel/pseuds/MeltedIceAngel
Summary: Renjun managed to get to question twenty before he felt it again. He tried his best to ignore it, but the discomfort from that morning had shifted into small cramping deep in his lower back. He bit his lip, reading the question four times before the pain ebbed away, and he could focus again. Donghyuck had noticed — Renjun could tell by the way his fingers had paused over one of the questions.





	1. Anatomy II, Exam 3

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to round two of I'll write anything if it's requested. 
> 
> WARNING; Not sure if this is necessary, but this is mpreg. Major. There's nothing else in this story. If that makes you squirm, please kindly turn away. It'll be better for all involved. I'm going to keep the whole choose your own backstory for mpreg thing going, because I know it helped a few people enjoy my last story despite disliking the topic. This can be read as ABO, trans! Renjun, or with my experimentation backstory from Kim Family Vlogs if you're familiar. I mean, you could read it as men getting pregnant being normal in an alternate universe for all I care. Anything that makes you comfortable. 
> 
> I got a request for RenMin's baby being born, but I decided to skip away merrily from the idolverse mpreg I'd tried before. It did really well, but it's really hard for me to write out mpreg in that universe without turning it into angst. So here we have a college AU instead! 
> 
> Thank you to my friend who read this over and allowed me to use bits of her own experience having her first baby for this story!

Renjun feels his back tighten on question three of his Anatomy exam.

His hand that had been idly messing with his hair moves to start rubbing at his back, pressing the muscles periodically to try and get them to relax. The feeling wasn’t unfamiliar to Renjun, especially as of late. He tried to focus on the question, but the tightness in his back was making it hard to concentrate enough to recall any of the information.

Donghyuck seemed to notice his pause, so the other turned his gaze onto him. “Are you okay?” He asked, looking down at Renjun’s hilariously oversized belly.

“Yeah, I think I’m having another Braxton-Hicks.” Renjun looked up to make sure their professor hadn’t heard them. She was still clicking away on her computer.

“Another? Jun, you just had one ten minutes ago,” Donghyuck suddenly wasn’t interested in the exam paper in front of him anymore.

Renjun took one deep breath and rubbed his back. “There, it’s gone. I’m fine. Take your test,” Donghyuck didn’t return back to his own exam, even with the reassurance from his friend, until the instructor lifted her head up from her computer to check on everyone’s progress.

Renjun managed to get to question twenty before he felt it again. He tried his best to ignore it, but the discomfort from that morning had shifted into small cramping deep in his lower back. He bit his lip, reading the question four times before the pain ebbed away, and he could focus again. Donghyuck had noticed — Renjun could tell by the way his fingers had paused over one of the questions.

Renjun tilted his head down and let out a deep exhale, his eyes catching on the bright phone screen in Donghyuck’s lap. The man’s eyes were flitting momentarily between the screen, the instructor, and his exam, and Renjun had a sinking feeling that it was Jaemin on the other side of those texts.

He managed to finish half of his exam before the pain came back, slowly traveling from his back to his abdomen and thighs. That time he put his pencil down and cupped his belly, rubbing soothingly over the taut skin. Donghyuck had seemed to have enough; he placed his own pencil down and stood, making his way to the front of the room.

Renjun watched as he whispered to their instructor hurriedly, the normally bad-tempered woman looking up at him in sympathy.

“Renjun, bring your exam up to the front,” The woman said, causing all eyes to turn to him. “You may finish it with Mr. Lee online.” Renjun lowered his head and stood with difficulty. He grabbed his exam and answer key and handed it off to the woman, wondering if he’d at least be able to save the questions he’d already answered. She gave him a strangely sweet smile.

“Get some rest. You have a big week ahead of you,” Renjun bowed at the rare kind words as Donghyuck took his arm and led him out of the room. They’d only managed to cut through three buildings before he had to pause, the feeling hitting him again.

“They’re regular, Jun. Every ten minutes,” Donghyuck had been looking at his phone when Renjun paused. “Braxton Hicks aren’t regular. Do they hurt?”

“Yeah, not too bad, though,” Renjun answered breathlessly. “I can handle it. It feels like really dull cramping.”

“Jaemin said he’s on his way. Did your doctor tell you when to go to the hospital?” Donghyuck helped Renjun walk toward the parking lot entrance. There were several chairs settled by the door set up for the students studying for classes in that building, and Donghyuck hastily helped the smaller sit.

“When they’re every five minutes,” Renjun rubbed his belly nervously.

“Are you okay?” Donghyuck asked, settling himself on the chair’s armrest.

Renjun shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m scared, I think?” He said it as if it were a question. He was being pulled between two conflicting emotions, fear, and excitement. He was used to the uncomfortable feeling that had begun to settle in a steady rhythm, but he didn’t know if he was ready for anything more. The only thing new to him was the cramping, but even that was bearable.

“I know you don’t do well with pain. Are you hurting right now?” Donghyuck asked, running a soothing finger over Renjun’s nape.

“No, I’m okay right now.” Renjun looked up at his friend and smiled. He was glad that Donghyuck was there, even if his constant questioning was a bit annoying.

“Still can’t believe you’re going to have a kid before me,” Donghyuck scoffed and punched Renjun lightly in the arm, trying to lighten the darker mood that had settled over them. 

“Makes sense. I am older than you,” Renjun chuckled when Donghyuck twisted his face up.

“Only by three months!”

“Then you should’ve gotten pregnant three months after I did,” Renjun grimaced as another wave of pain hit him. It wasn’t increasing in intensity, but the amount of space the pain covered was getting greater; his abdomen and thighs were aching, the dull cramping more like a pulse that came and went.

“Jaemin’ll be here soon,” Donghyuck soothed, rubbing his hands over Renjun’s aching back. The smaller was rubbing his palms over his thighs, desperate for the pain to ebb a little. It was uncomfortable everywhere else, but for some reason, it hurt far worse there.

“It really doesn’t hurt that bad, it’s just really uncomfortable,” Renjun said, breathing out deeply. “I want to go home. I’m tired.”

“Soon, Junnie,” Donghyuck said, his hands not stopping their ministrations until Renjun’s contraction finally ended. “That was a few seconds longer.”

“You sound like Jaemin,” Renjun rolled his eyes fondly. He was sure Jaemin had logs of every Braxton Hicks contraction he’d experienced.

“Speak of the Devil,” Donghyuck said, motioning toward the door leading from the medical wing hallways. Jaemin seemed flushed and jittery as he jogged over to them, not even bothering to stop the door from slamming like he usually would.

“Hey, you okay?” Jaemin asked frantically, wrapping Renjun in his sweaty, hoodie covered arms.

Renjun didn’t realize how frazzled he really was until Jaemin had him securely in his hold. He felt the tears coming long after they’d already started falling, soft sobs escaping his lips as he let all his fear and anxiety run free. Jaemin shushed him as they rocked from side to side.

“Baby, it’s okay. Everything’s okay. Are you in pain?” Jaemin asked. Renjun shook his head.

“I want to go home. Can we go?” Renjun was acutely aware of all the eyes on them from Jaemin’s quick entrance into the hall. Even the monitors were staring at them, their feet scuffing the carpeted floor as they tried to decide if they should say anything or not. In the end, Jaemin and Donghyuck had helped him up and toward the door long before anyone else could ask them if they were okay.

“How far apart are they?” Jaemin asked as they pushed the door to the skywalk open. Renjun dreaded the walk to the car.

“Ten minutes. They have been lasting about thirty seconds, but the last one was thirty-six.” Donghyuck spouted off. Renjun groaned at how in tune to the numbers the two men were. All Renjun was focused on was getting to the car before his next one hit. He really didn’t want to walk through it again.

They’d almost made it to the car when Renjun had to stop. Jaemin held him through the whole thing, whispering reassurances as Renjun lowered his body to try and alleviate the discomfort.

“Okay?” Jaemin asked as Renjun straightened himself back out.

“Yeah, I’m alright.”

They arrived at the car quickly, and both Jaemin and Donghyuck were quick to help Renjun into the front seat. Feeling okay between contractions, Renjun pulled his phone out and began shuffling through his music playlist for the half an hour drive back to the apartment he and Jaemin shared. The two others said quick goodbyes as Donghyuck ran to get his own car to follow behind them.

“He’ll meet us at home,” Jaemin said as he hopped into the car. Renjun hummed and selected a song, letting it play even before his phone connected to the Bluetooth.

“Can you believe we might be meeting our baby soon?” Renjun asked as Jaemin pulled out of their parking spot. The younger laughed a little breathlessly and shook his head.

“I really hope this is it,” Jaemin said, looking a little nervous at the confession.

“Me too. I’ve never been more excited to be in pain,” Renjun put his hands underneath his belly, pressing lightly. Nothing hurt, and he didn’t necessarily feel any discomfort, but there was still a little something that lightened whenever he pressed that spot.

“Well, try to stay happy and excited,” Jaemin smiled at him. “That’s what the doctor said, right?”

“Yeah. Said it would keep my body more relaxed, so labor will start sooner.” Renjun groaned as another contraction hit just as they pulled onto the road toward the freeway.

“You’re doing so well, baby. Focus on your breathing, that’s it,” Jaemin grabbed Renjun’s hand as the smaller shifted around in his seat.

“God. They don’t hurt, it’s just so much tightening,” Renjun whined as he pressed his lower body into the car seat below him. Pulling his body down seemed to help, and soon the discomfort had once again faded out. “The cramping sucks ass, too.” Jaemin smiled sadly at him.

“Are you hungry at all?” Jaemin asked as they passed by the sign for the majority of fast food on their way home. Renjun was, but he was also beginning to get nauseous.

“I’d rather go home and take a nap,” Renjun closed his eyes as Jaemin turned toward the blinding light of the sun.

“Okay, baby. Try to sleep a little now, too. Do you want to pull the seat down?” Jaemin asked, but Renjun shook his head.

“I’m afraid to move. I feel like if I do, it’ll hurt more or something,” Renjun chuckled. “So far, I’ve only gone through them well sitting up.”

“It might help to lay on your side. Can you try for me?” Jaemin asked sweetly, and Renjun resigned himself to changing his position for the first time that day. The few times he’d been standing had been horrible, and at least the pressure on his lower body helped when he sat. He lowered the seat anyway and turned himself on his left side, hand settling on his belly.

He’d managed to doze off a little before he felt the tightening again. It didn’t feel nearly as bad laying down, so he breathed through it before nodding off.

“Junnie, we’re home, baby,” Jaemin woke him twenty minutes later. Renjun groaned and rubbed his eyes. “Do you want me to carry you upstairs?”

“Can I walk?” Renjun asked. Jaemin came around and opened the passenger side door. He helped Renjun stand and grabbed both of their school bags, putting both on one shoulder and Renjun’s arm around the other. They took the stairs to their apartment faster than Jaemin would have liked, but all Renjun wanted was to hop in their bed and sleep.

“Oh!” Renjun wailed, legs bending underneath him as another wave of tightening gripped at his lower body. Jaemin held onto him tightly, letting Renjun lower his body and bounce a little as he worked himself through the pain.

“You’re doing so well, Injun. Breathe, there you go.” Jaemin cooed, helping Renjun stand up straight again.

“If this isn’t real labor, I will be sorely disappointed,” Renjun smiled to try and soothe the worry lines on Jaemin’s forehead.

“You know what the doctor said! No disappointment,” Jaemin teased as he opened the door to their apartment. Renjun rolled his eyes and leaned up to kiss his boyfriend once on the lips.

“I love you, but I’m going to bed,” Renjun disappeared the second they walked through the front door. His mind was racing as he stripped himself of his hoodie and shoes, both feeling too constricting with the unbearable tightness in his back and abdomen. He considered pulling his shirt and pants off as well but decided it would be far too much effort and left them alone.

He wanted the feeling of discomfort to be real labor. He wanted the contractions to stay regular and get more intense. He was afraid that he’d fall asleep and wake up a few hours later to them irregular, or worse, gone altogether.

Even though he wanted all those things, he still couldn’t find it in himself to do anything about it. He didn’t want to walk up the stairs to his apartment over and over, he didn’t want to eat anything spicy, and he didn’t particularly want to walk around being the human embodiment of sunshine. The only thing he truly wanted was to sleep, so he carefully settled himself in bed and did just that.

Two hours later and Renjun decided there was no point in pretending he would be getting any real sleep. The contractions were still coming, but they’d become slowly more erratic as time passed. Jaemin had left a timer with him if he’d wanted to use it along with a glass of water. By the time he’d managed to finish the full glass, he’d recorded six more contractions.

_ 12:03 _

_ 36 seconds _

_ 12:12 _

_ 34 seconds _

_ 12:16 _

_ 35 seconds _

_ 12:30 _

_ 34 seconds _

_ 12:33 _

_ 30 seconds _

_ 12:45 _

_ 32 seconds _

They were still coming close to the ten-minute mark, but with several hitting nothing more than three or four, Renjun was beginning to lose hope.

“Jaemin,” Renjun called as he timed another contraction, that one coming only five minutes after the last. He could hear the sound of his boyfriend stomping his way up the small number of stairs toward their bedroom.

“Are you okay, baby?” Jaemin settled himself down next to Renjun on their bed.

“Can you put your hands on my back, please?” Renjun asked, and Jaemin was quick to settle behind him and massage the muscles in the smaller’s lower back. They worked through the bout of pain together, and finally, Renjun felt it start to go away.

“Relax, baby. Relax your muscles,” Jaemin whispered, running his hands up and over his boyfriend’s tensed up body.

“I want to sleep, but I can’t,” Renjun looked longingly at his pillow with drooping, tired eyes.

“Do you want me to lay with you?” Jaemin asked, already helping Renjun settle down comfortably. The smaller nodded anyway, desperate for Jaemin’s touch to distract from the waves of tightening. “I forgot, do you want me to call your brother?”

Renjun looked at the clock before he answered. It was just turning one o’clock, meaning Chenle would still be in class. “No, we can wait until two. Then call.” Jaemin nodded and laid down, wrapping an arm around Renjun’s belly.

“Anywhere feel bad?” Jaemin was drawing circles on the underside of Renjun’s belly, trying to soothe any pain lingering from the last contraction.

“Just there. That feels really nice,” Renjun sighed in contentment as his eyes drooped closed. Jaemin continued to trace patterns until the smaller’s breathing deepened, fast asleep.

By the time seven o’clock rolled around, Renjun was well and truly deflated.

Chenle and Jisung had stopped back after school, gushing about how excited they were for the baby to arrive. They’d gone with Donghyuck to buy Indian food, several spicy curries to help Renjun’s labor progress. By the time Renjun awoke, the pain he hadn’t genuinely admitted to feeling had tapered back into discomfort, and he found eating to be pleasing and not at all nauseating.

Somehow, feeling good was the biggest disappointment in Renjun’s recent memory.

They’d all cuddled up together on the couch to watch Coco and Finding Dory, Chenle’s favorites. The two youths were settled on the floor, the elder of the two leaning back against his brother’s legs in an odd form of support. Donghyuck and Mark, who had arrived around seven-thirty, were squashed in an armchair on the other side of the room, leaving Jaemin and Renjun with enough room to sprawl across the entire length of the couch.

“When’s Jeno going to be here?” Jisung asked from the floor. Jaemin looked at his phone and scrolled through his notifications before landing on one from Jeno.

“He isn’t sure. He just finished his math lecture, but he’s got to stop at home and take care of his dog,” Jaemin said, and Jisung hummed before turning back to the movie. It did feel oddly empty without Jeno there.

“Oh,” Renjun whined only a few minutes into their first movie. Everyone turned to look at him as Jaemin and Chenle soothed him through his contraction, the elder’s hands rubbing over his belly while the younger massaged his back. “Ah, damn.” Renjun threw his head back onto Jaemin’s shoulder.

“Breathe, baby. You’re doing so well. I’m so proud of you,” Jaemin said, continuing to rub the underside of Renjun’s belly.

“It’s okay, Ge. It’s okay, let it out,” Chenle said in Chinese, doing his best to soothe his brother. Renjun knew the younger was afraid of saying the wrong thing, or of not being enough help.

Despite Chenle’s apprehension, Renjun took the sentence to heart and allowed the moans of pain to echo around the deathly silent room. It seemed to take forever for the tightening to finally let up, and when it did, Renjun allowed himself to rest tiredly against his boyfriend.

“Have they been hurting again?” Donghyuck asked worriedly.

“I don’t know. I don’t know if I should call it pain, but they don’t feel good,” Renjun answered.

“Really tight, huh?” Jaemin asked. Renjun nodded and motioned for Jisung to start the movie again. He didn’t want to focus on his contractions when they weren’t happening.

A full hour into the movie and Renjun had only had four contractions, enough to make him slump even more despite how much he was enjoying the film. They had become so far apart and erratic that he’d mostly given up on anything happening; thus, he decided to push the thought away and enjoy the company of his friends and family around him.

Four hours had passed as the credits to Finding Nemo began to roll. Chenle and Jisung were curled up on the futon laid out on the floor for them, fast asleep and cuddled up together. Mark and Donghyuck stood and stretched, bidding the couple snoozing on the couch goodnight before making their way to the guest room Jaemin and Donghyuck had set up after coming home from class. That just left Jaemin and Renjun, the latter still dozing after the couple’s quick goodnight.

“Baby, do you want to go to bed?” Jaemin asked. Renjun stretched a little and sighed, plopping back down onto Jaemin tiredly.

“Will you still hold me?” Renjun asked pitifully, looking up at Jaemin with his puppy eyes and pouty lips.

“Of course. You don’t have to persuade me to hold you,” Jaemin soothed, helping Renjun into a sitting position so they could make their way back to their room.

Two in the morning rolled around, and Renjun had still not managed to get much real sleep.

The contractions had started coming much faster at some point in the night, and they’d begun increasing in time to make matters worse. Now they were sitting closer to seven minutes apart and lasting forty-five to fifty seconds, making sleep almost impossible outside of short snoozes.

Renjun had tried to send Jaemin out to sleep with Chenle and Jisung around midnight. He’d argued that if he was in labor, then at least one of them needed to get some sleep, but Jaemin had only managed a full hour on the couch before Renjun was calling him back in.

“I need your hands on my back. It distracts me,” Renjun said, putting the book he’d been reading down with his page saved. He and Jaemin sat side by side for the next few minutes before Renjun hissed, turning himself over on all fours.

“Oh God,” Renjun groaned, rocking his body forward and back as Jaemin rubbed his back soothingly. He breathed out shakily, pushing the air from his lungs in clipped exhales as the pain became more intense.

“There you go, that one was better,” Jaemin said as he helped Renjun sit back down again.

“Yeah, that one was better,” Renjun agreed, holding his hands out for the heating packs on Jaemin’s bedside table. The smaller placed the packs underneath his belly and held them there, blinking tiredly as the heat warmed and relaxed him.

“Want to try sleeping again?” Jaemin asked, but Renjun didn’t know if he could.

“They’re really hurting, Nana,” There was something about Renjun calling him Nana in that voice that broke Jaemin’s heart. It wasn’t rare for Renjun to use that nickname with him, but it sounded more vulnerable -- much more than his real name.

“I’m sorry, baby. Let’s lay down, okay?” Jaemin cooed, pressing a soft kiss to his boyfriend’s temple. Renjun nodded and laid down, his face pressed into Jaemin’s shoulder.

The rest of the night went about the same. Snooze for a few minutes, work through another contraction together, and repeat.

The hours passed unbearably slow. Renjun had become too uncomfortable and tired to read his book, and watching television required too much attention at some point in the night. They’d taken a quick shower around four, and walked around the lobby of their apartment at five.

All Renjun wanted was a solid half an hour of sleep. Every time he drifted off, the pain came shooting up his lower back, shocking him awake. Jaemin was always awake beside him, ready to do whatever Renjun needed to get through the waves of pain.

He managed to doze again around eight. He could hear the sound of the shower running and pots clinking in the kitchen, but his sleep-addled brain couldn’t focus on that for long. He fell into another fitful sleep, waking ten minutes later to the sound of voices over him.

“Nana,” Renjun whined, pulling himself to his left side to bury his face in a pillow. Jaemin’s hands found their place on the smaller’s back while another ran through Renjun’s sweaty hair. “Lele?” Renjun asked, puffing more air out of his mouth.

“I’m here, Ge,” Chenle said. Renjun held his hand out for Chenle to take, and with a little pause, the younger took it. The elder brother had to make a conscious effort not to squeeze too hard -- the pain was overwhelming.

“That one was bad,” Renjun said as the pain ebbed into a slight pressure.

“That was only five minutes from your last one,” Jaemin said, looking down at his phone. “They’re getting closer, Injun.”

“They’re hurting worse,” Renjun sighed, rubbing his belly.

“Do you need anything, Ge?” Chenle asked, unsure of how to help.

“No, I’m okay, Lele. Don’t worry,” Renjun soothed despite still feeling awful. He hated seeing his little brother so worried for him. “Do you want to watch a movie while we eat?” Chenle smiled at his brother and nodded, giving him a gentle hug before jumping off the bed and running out into the living room. The couple could hear his happy squeals and Jisung’s fond, deep laugh a moment later.

“Nana, I’m cold,” Renjun said when he was sure Chenle was out of earshot. Jaemin cooed at the smaller and grabbed one of their throws to wrap him in.

“Are you sure you’re up for eating?” Jaemin asked. Renjun shook his head, but he still moved to get up anyway.

“I don’t want Chenle being worried,” Renjun admitted as Jaemin helped him to his feet, rewrapping the blanket around him so it didn’t fall off.

“You’re having a baby, Injunnie,”

“I know, but he’s my baby brother. He doesn’t need to know how bad it is,” Renjun said, pushing open the door to the hallway. Jaemin followed behind him, a supporting hand on his back.

“I don’t know, I think you should show him just how bad it is,” Jaemin said, earning a look from Renjun.

“Why?” Renjun asked, confused. What a strange thing for his boyfriend to say, knowing how against showing any sort of crack in his composure he was.

“No reason, just think you should.”

“Okay, that sounds like bull, but I’ll let it go,” Renjun shrugged and walked into the kitchen. Jeno was settled at the kitchen table, mug of coffee clutched tightly in his hands.

“Your brother sleeps like a starfish,” Jeno complained, looking pointedly back at Chenle.

“I didn’t even know you were there!” Chenle complained. “You got here at midnight. It’s not like you showed up on time or anything.”

Come to think of it, Jeno had shown up late. Renjun hadn’t even realized he was missing when they’d gone to bed that night.

“I got held up at home,” Jeno explained at the couple’s confused look. They both hummed and went to sit, anxious for whatever attempt at food Donghyuck had tried to create.

“Oh, shit,” Renjun groaned, pushing his hips down onto the chair. He rocked from side to side, puffing and moaning through the pain.

“Is it over?” Jaemin asked as Renjun opened his eyes and settled back into the chair regularly. The smaller nodded.

“One minute,” Chenle said from the chair next to Jeno.

“I think I’m going to go call the doctor, okay, Junnie?” Jaemin said, excusing himself from the table. Renjun nodded and leaned back, trying to relieve some of the pressure on his lower back.

“You okay to eat?” Donghyuck called from the kitchen.

“Depends on what sort of abomination you have in that pan,” Renjun responded, making everyone around him let out booming laughs at Donghyuck’s expense.

“First of all, the stuff in the pan isn’t for you,” Donghyuck sassed, pointing the egg covered spatula in his hand at Renjun. “Yours is already on a plate. Second, if you keep talking like that to your chef, you may end up with some undesirables in your food.” Renjun chuckled as Donghyuck brought his food to him.

A plate of rice and toast plus a bowl of warm broth was set in front of him. Renjun smiled gratefully up at his friend as he took the offered spoon from him.

“Thank you, Hyuck,” Renjun said. He picked at his rice and managed to drink the entire bowl of broth before Jaemin returned. “What’d she say?” He asked, taking a bite out of the plain toast.

“She said we should come in and have you checked over,” Jaemin said, nervously taking Renjun’s hand. Everyone stopped eating, spoons and chopsticks clattering over the newly settled silence.

“Oh! Okay, yeah,” Renjun was surprised. He had anticipated the doctor telling them to wait until the contractions were consistently closer together, but if she thought it was best to come in, there was no point in waiting.

“Finish up what you can, okay?” Jaemin said, guiding Renjun’s hand back to his discarded spoon. “I’ll go grab your bag and put it in the car, just in case.”

Renjun stared down at his food for a moment. He had a feeling they wouldn’t be coming home alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.buymeacoffee.com/meltediceangel (helps pay for medical school)


	2. My Sweet Little one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Renjun and Jaemin were sobbing as their daughter was laid on Renjun’s chest, little body heaving with the force of her cries. Jaemin kissed Renjun’s face over and over, his forehead, his nose, his lips, all the tracks of tears that fell down his face. 
> 
> “My baby, it’s okay,” Renjun whispered, running his lithe finger over her nose. “Māma’s here, you’re safe. Māma and appa are here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who thought I forgot about this story? Everyone? I don't blame you.
> 
> I talked to a few of the people who enjoyed this story and asked if they liked the "realism" or almost overly detailed aspect of this story. A lot of them said it was the reason they liked the story in the first place, so I continued on with this. Because of that, however, the story will now have three chapters instead of just two. Yay? Nay? 
> 
> I'd like to give a sincere, humble thank you to my friend for helping me with this chapter. We worked so hard to make it feel as realistic and raw as possible, although I, unfortunately, decided to omit some "gorey" birth details. For someone who highly enjoys writing zombie stories, I do have a slight aversion to bodily fluids. My bad, hope it doesn't distract! 
> 
> I wanted this chapter to focus heavily on the emotional impact on Jaemin because I feel like stories gloss over this a lot, especially since a lot of mpreg stories are usually 1k words or less. I hope that I portrayed it well.

It was a full two hours before they’d gotten checked in at the hospital.

Renjun was buried underneath three blankets, the lights off, and soft music playing in the background. His small body was shaking, the chill of the room and the increasing pain making relaxing impossible. 

Jaemin was sitting in a chair next to the bed, his hand brushing through Renjun’s sweat-soaked bangs. He hadn’t moved since he’d finished filling out the necessary paperwork, despite his back cramping from the position he’d settled down in. Even Jeno, who had no reason to stay awake, was sitting up on the ledge that jutted out from the window. 

Chenle and Jisung had fallen asleep on the couch just below the ledge, while Donghyuck and Mark were settled awkwardly in a chair across the room. The light from Mark’s phone had been a comfort, but with the eldest settled down to sleep, Jaemin felt heavy. 

Renjun had already been in labor for twenty-four hours, and it seemed as if he wasn’t progressing at all. 

Even though the contractions had gotten far more intense, nothing had really happened. Their baby wasn’t in distress, and she was positioned right, so they gave Renjun an epidural and told him to rest. The smaller had fallen asleep and had only woke once, but Jaemin still couldn’t find it in himself to sleep. 

“You look nauseous,” Jeno whispered from the window ledge. Jaemin hummed and settled back in the chair. 

“I can’t stand seeing him like this,” Jaemin used his fingers to brush Renjun’s fringe back. His body was still shaking, but no sounds of distress were leaving his mouth. “I just keep thinking that I did this. He’s in pain because of me,”

“Takes two to tango,” Jeno supplied unhelpfully. Jaemin glared at him, tempted to throw one of the magazines on the table at the other man’s smirking face. 

“I’m happy I’m going to be a dad, but I really wish we could skip this part,” Jaemin wanted to have a serious conversation, but at the same time, it felt awkward. Jeno was always the one Jaemin could go to for advice, but lately, it seemed as if there was a more significant rift between them. Mark said it was priorities; Jeno had school and sports while Jaemin had school and his family. 

“Renjun loves you, and he loves your baby. I know seeing him in pain is hard. Still, you know how happy he is that he’s lucky enough to be able to have his own baby,” Jeno said, looking out the window at the ambulance that had just arrived. The lights flashed red and white, lighting up Jeno and Jaemin’s faces in the dark. 

“He said that before he fell asleep, I just can’t stop worrying,” Jaemin wished he could do something to make the shaking stop. He wished he could give all his strength to the small body lying weak on the bed. 

He’d been panicked since Donghyuck messaged him in the middle of Chemistry to tell him Renjun was having contractions. He’d said the elder was bent over himself, breathing deep and unable to concentrate. His heart plummeted and leaped all at the same time, and he found himself up and out of his seat before his professor could even ask where he was headed.

Jaemin thought back to the last hour before Renjun was given the epidural. He’d been hysterical, pushing himself off the bed and crying out during each contraction. Jaemin held him each time, the pain making him unreceptive to anyone’s pleas for him to lay down. 

“ _ I can’t, _ ” he’d screamed, “ _ Please, I can’t, Jaemin--! _ ” Jaemin shivered harshly, his body jerking when Jeno laid a hand on his shoulder. 

“Sorry,” Jaemin said. Jeno smiled sadly and leaned down on one knee, hands cupping Jaemin’s cheeks. 

“You will be such a great dad,” Jeno said, pouring all of his love for his friend into his words. He and Jaemin had known each other since they were no more than five, growing into themselves together. If there was anyone who could say whether Jaemin would be a good parent, it was Jeno. 

Jaemin looked back at Renjun, making sure he was still asleep before he crumbled. His body shook as the fear and uncertainty overwhelmed him, the tears he’d been holding back since he received that text flowing over. 

Jeno jumped up and wrapped Jaemin in a crushing hug. It had been so long since Jaemin allowed himself to be weak. Renjun had gone through so much, was always in so much pain. He was in so little control of his emotions that Jaemin had to be reliable. Renjun needed him to be there. 

With everyone asleep and his best friend holding him, Jaemin felt like he was no more than a child himself. 

“I can’t,” Jaemin sobbed, clutching Jeno’s shirt in his fists. 

“You can, Nana. You can. You’re so strong. You’re so loving, and sweet, and so energetic. Your baby will love you, Jaemin. So much,” Jeno said, desperately trying to get his point through. 

“I’m only 21. What do I know about my life, let alone about taking care of another?” Jaemin said, letting his head loll to the side. Jeno sighed and cuddled Jaemin closer. 

It had been so long since Jaemin felt that small. 

“It’s not age, Nana. It’s determination. It’s love and trust and hope. It’s working together when everything else fails. You and Renjun are the ultimate team,” Jeno said, pulling Jaemin back so he could look into his eyes. “Even if you both have tried everything, and something isn’t working, you always have me. Do you hear me?” Jaemin nodded mutely. “Say it. Say you hear me.”

“I hear you,” Jaemin whispered. 

“We haven’t been best friends for sixteen years just for me to back out on you now. If you need me, I’m a phone call away,” Jeno said. Jaemin nodded and let out another sob, alerting one of the sleeping couples in the corner. 

“Jaemin-Hyung?” It was Jisung, his tiny, tired voice slicing through the tense air. Jaemin immediately tried to pick himself up, wiping away his tears desperately. 

“Hyung, stop,” It was Chenle that time, both of them making their way over until they were settled around Jeno and Jaemin. “It’s okay to be scared. This is so big for you.”

“You don’t have to always be strong for us,” Jisung whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind Jaemin’s ear, eerily similar to how Jaemin does for him. 

“I’m so scared,” Jaemin sobbed, burying his face back into Jeno’s shoulder. Jisung and Chenle were quick to wrap their arms around Jaemin’s neck, and before long, two more sets of arms joined them. 

“We’re all a family, Jaemin,” Mark whispered. 

“We’re here for you. Every day, all day. No matter what,” Donghyuck added, smiling brightly down at them. Jaemin nodded and sobbed, overwhelmed. 

“What about me?” Everyone looked up at once to see Renjun awake, his shaky hand out for someone to take. Jaemin went to get up, but Renjun shook his head, holding his hand out for Chenle or Donghyuck instead. Both of them took it. “You need to let others take care of you.”

“You need me,” Jaemin said, unable to suppress more tears. 

“Oh, baby,” Renjun cooed. “I’m okay. You need to get some rest. When was the last time you slept?” Jaemin felt the instinctive need to lie and say he’d managed to sleep a bit while Renjun was out, but Jeno’s warning glare told him he wouldn’t get away with it.

“I can’t remember,” Jaemin shrugged, letting Mark rub his back soothingly. “I can’t sleep,” Jaemin said when he felt his body start to get heavier. He pushed Mark’s hand away and yawned, rubbing his tired eyes. 

“Jaemin, the doctor said it was likely to take hours still,” Mark said. “We’ll wake you up.” Jaemin shook his head, but suddenly there were comforting hands over his back and in his hair, guiding his exhausted, heavy body to sleep. 

“How are you feeling?” Jaemin heard Jisung ask. 

“I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt at all right now,” Renjun said, and even as Jaemin lost his battle with sleep, he knew that Renjun was lying.

Jaemin woke up to the sun barely above the horizon, everyone awake and scrolling through their phones. Renjun and Chenle were cuddled up to each other, Chenle holding his phone up as they watched something together. One look at the clock told him he’d only managed to sleep a little under two hours. 

He didn’t feel any more rested. 

“Jaemin, go back to sleep,” Jeno said when he saw Jaemin awake. Out of it, Jaemin didn’t respond. He lifted himself up and blinked slowly, trying to make out his surroundings properly. “Jaemin lay down. The doctor said we were going to wait a few more hours. She said it’s not uncommon for it to take this long.”

“I’m fine,” Jaemin said, finally coherent enough to speak. Everyone in the room glared at him. “I really am! I’m fine.” Jeno sighed.

“You look awful,” Jeno said. 

“I second that,” Renjun added. 

“Thanks, guys,” Jaemin said, but everyone just gave him a sad half-smile. He really was not okay. His chest had, at some point, clamped up, and it was getting increasingly harder to draw a proper breath. His eyes were still heavy like lead, and his arms felt weak and shaky. He had read something before about making sure to sleep, eat, and drink because it wasn’t rare for new dads to pass out, but he really had thought he was okay.

He felt every bit like an irresponsible teenager despite being two full years out of his teens. 

“I’m going to go get breakfast, okay? You feel up to eating?” Jeno asked. Jaemin was nauseous, but eating sounded nice.

“Yeah,” Jaemin said, and Jeno was out the door. 

“Come here,” Renjun called, holding his arms out for Jaemin. He was quick to lift himself up and collapse into the bed next to Renjun, arms wrapped securely around him. “You’re okay. You are so amazing, Jaemin. So strong, so loving, but you need to take care of yourself.” Jaemin felt the bite of tears behind his eyes again.

_ So weak. _

“Minnie, I did a little reading while you were asleep,” Donghyuck said, coming to sit next to Jaemin on the bed. “It’s normal to feel like this. It really is. I know you’re kicking yourself for being scared and doubting, but it’s okay. You are perfectly fine.” 

“I just-” Jaemin said, voice catching in his throat. Why was he so weak? 

“My love, it’s okay,” Renjun said, pushing himself up a little to kiss Jaemin softly on the lips. 

“I should be strong for you,” Jaemin said, wiping his tears. 

“We need to be strong for each other,” Renjun said, replacing Jaemin’s hands with his own, gently wiping away the tears. 

“You have us,” Donghyuck said, motioning toward everyone. 

“Thank you,” Jaemin said, taking a deep breath in through his nose. He was so, so exhausted. 

Just then, the door opened, and two nurses walked in. They bowed politely, both of them cooing at the sight of Jaemin. 

“Oh, are we overwhelmed?” One of them asked, coming over and taking Donghyuck’s spot next to Jaemin. Jaemin nodded lightly, wiping at his eyes.  _ Such a child. _

“We’re going to have another bed brought in for you, okay? After the baby is born, only you will be allowed to stay the night. When was the last time you slept?” The nurse asked, and Jaemin chuckled softly.

“I just woke up,” Jaemin said, but everyone was quick to butt in that he had slept for a total of an hour and a half, nothing substantial. 

“Why don’t you lay down for a bit?” She asked. Jaemin looked over at Renjun and bit his lip. “Ah, I see. Do you need a chat from someone with lots and lots of experience in this area?” All of them nodded yes, and Jaemin nodded along with them.

“I’ve witnessed many, many births in my time here. One thing that seems to be a common theme is new dads trying to be so strong, so mighty, that they forget that they’re human. Just for a little while, they think they can ignore their own needs. I don’t need to sleep. I don’t need to eat. My partner needs me,” She said. “Then, they start to break down a bit. Their brains are so exhausted, their bodies so desperate to eat and drink, that they cry, they feel guilty, they beat themselves up. Sound familiar?”

“Yeah,” Jaemin responded. 

“This little one here is pretty dead set on making us all wait. A grand entrance.” The woman shook her head in disagreement with her statement. “She’s waiting for her appa to be ready for her. Our children can feel when we don’t take care of ourselves. When you hold your new little girl, your little angel, you want to be here. Truly ready, right?” 

Jaemin nodded.

“Then I want you to wait just a few minutes, and we’ll move a place for you to sleep in here. Your friend passed us in the hall, so you should have something nice to eat soon. We won’t let you miss your child being born, but you need to sleep,” She said, and Jaemin nodded again, the tears long ago having stopped. He felt so weighed down. 

The nurse smiled and patted him on the shoulder, lifting herself up. “We will be back soon.” She said and turned to leave. 

“Jaemin?” Mark said when Jaemin remained quiet.

“Sorry, I’m so tired,” Jaemin said. Renjun pulled Jaemin down and allowed him to settle. His hands trailed soothingly through Jaemin’s hair, a soft humming coming from deep in his chest.

Jaemin was out in seconds. 

When Jaemin awoke again, it was noon, meaning he’d still only managed to sleep for a short number of hours. Four, five at the most. Even so, he felt much more rested and less like a human piece of lead. 

“Hey,” Renjun whispered. Jaemin smiled.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Jaemin asked, lifting himself up. Someone had moved him into the bed promised by the nurses. 

“The contractions are back, but I still don’t feel like I have to push,” Renjun sighed. Jaemin hummed and lifted himself up, moving to sit next to Renjun on his bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” Jaemin answered honestly. Renjun smiled and leaned over, grabbing a plastic container from the side table. 

“Eat,” Renjun said, handing Jaemin the food. He devoured it, his stomach happily full and sated. 

“I’m sorry about-” Jaemin began, but Renjun was quick to put a finger to his lips. 

“Nope, none of that. This is just as stressful for you as it is for me,” Renjun said. Jaemin decided there were no more words to say and instead leaning forward, kissing Renjun soundly on the lips. The two kissed for a moment before Renjun pulled back with a hiss, his hand flying down to his belly. “That feels weird,” Renjun said.

“Weird how?” Jaemin asked, looking up to find that all of their friends were gone. 

“Lots of pressure,” Renjun said, catching Jaemin’s gaze. “Chenle fell asleep on the floor. Jisung took him home for now. The rest of them are in the waiting room.” Renjun said. Jaemin hummed. 

“That close, huh?” Jaemin asked, and Renjun nodded. 

“Oh God, Jaemin,” Renjun wheezed, grabbing at Jaemin’s hand. “That, that feels like I have to push.” Jaemin was up and pressing the call button before another word had been spoken. It wasn’t another couple minutes before the two nurses from earlier, and a doctor was in the room.

“Feel like we have to push?” The doctor said, putting a mask and gloves on. Renjun nodded, whining through his contraction. 

“Breathe, angel,” Jaemin said, retaking Renjun’s hand. “There you go, breathe with me. I’ve got you.” Renjun locked eyes with Jaemin, breathing shakily until the contraction passed. 

“Listen to him, baby,” The nurse said. “He’s got a good head on his shoulders.” She winked at Jaemin, and his heart swelled. Despite his embarrassing breakdown, the nurse still believed him capable. 

“He does. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to be by my side,” Renjun said, squeezing Jaemin’s hand tightly. 

“Stop, I cried enough,” Jaemin chuckled wetly, wiping at his eyes.

“Oh honey, that was just the start,” The nurse said. Both of them knew she was right. 

“Alright, Renjun, I’m going to need you to give me a really good push when you feel your next contraction,” The doctor said. Renjun nodded and took a deep breath, waiting for the pain to hit him. 

“There we go,” The nurse said, looking up at the monitor. Renjun groaned loudly, finally bearing down. “One, two, three, good job, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Good boy, take a breath.” She said, and Renjun let out a shaky breath. 

“Jaemin-ssi, can you hold his leg up?” The other nurse asked, and Jaemin was quick to comply. 

“Ah!” Renjun cried, the nurse quick to count him through another round of pushing. “Ah, it hurts.” 

“You’re doing so well, baby. I’m so proud of you. So, so proud,” Jaemin said, pressing a kiss to Renjun’s sweaty forehead. 

“Alright, push down to your bottom,” The doctor said. “One, two, three, harder, four, five, six, there you go, seven, eight, nine, ten.” Renjun let out a harsh breath. 

“One more before this contraction ends,” The nurse said. They counted him through again. 

“Good job, baby,” Jaemin cooed, amazed by how calm Renjun was. He wasn’t screaming or whining through the pain, but it was clear how much he hurt. It was written all over his face, his eyes lidded, his teeth and jaw clenched, his lips downturned. 

They went through the process four more times before the doctor told him to stop. “There she is, you’re doing so well,” The doctor said, working with the nurse to suction the baby’s mouth and nose. Jaemin peeked over, his hand immediately going to his mouth. 

“Can you see her?” Renjun asked, whining as another contraction hit him.

“I can, she’s almost here,” Jaemin said, already overwhelmed. 

They went through the process of pushing and breathing two more times before the nurse’s smile widened, and she looked up at Jaemin and over at Renjun. “One more big push, okay?” She said, and Renjun nodded. 

“One, two, three, four-” Was all it took before there were loud gasps and small cheers, the baby letting out a shrill cry. “She’s here!” The nurse said, pulling Renjun’s gown open so the doctor could lay the baby down on his chest. 

Renjun and Jaemin were sobbing as their daughter was laid on Renjun’s chest, little body heaving with the force of her cries. Jaemin kissed Renjun’s face over and over, his forehead, his nose, his lips, all the tracks of tears that fell down his face. 

“My baby, it’s okay,” Renjun whispered, running his lithe finger over her nose. “Māma’s here, you’re safe. Māma and appa are here.” Jaemin’s heart constricted, his tears flowing uncontained down his face. He rubbed his daughter’s head, already with so much hair, and let all his doubts wash away as she calmed from their combined touch. 

“We’re going to clean her up, alright?” One of the nurses said, pulling the baby away from Renjun. They both watched as the nurse walked away, carrying the tiny, beautiful life they made together. 

“Jaemin, she’s here,” Renjun sobbed, reaching out for him. Jaemin hugged him gently, afraid of hurting him. 

“You did so well. You brought her here. You’re so, so amazing,” Jaemin said, kissing Renjun lightly. “I love you. God, I love you so, so much.”

“I love you,” Renjun said. “Thank you. Thank you for giving me a baby.” Somehow Jaemin didn’t think he should be thanked for that, but he never got the chance to say so. The nurse came up to him, motioning for him to follow. 

“I love you. I’ll be right over here,” Jaemin said, and Renjun nodded with a smile. 

“Do you want to cut the cord?” The nurse asked. Jaemin blew out a breath, eyes turned up toward the ceiling to try and stem the flow of tears. Eventually, he calmed enough to nod, the nurse handing him a mask and placing a cap over his hair. They walked over to where his daughter was being cleaned, her little body clenched up and shaking. The doctor was quick to put a cover over Jaemin’s clothes and hand him a pair of gloves. 

“Come here, dad,” The doctor said, and Jaemin laughed with the nurses as he began to cry again. They handed Jaemin a pair of scissors, and he took them with shaking hands. 

Jaemin’s daughter,  _ his and Renjun’s _ daughter, began to cry again as a nurse wiped her down with a towel. Jaemin cooed, wanting desperately to soothe her. “I’m right next to you. Daddy’s here, angel,” Jaemin said, and instantly the baby calmed, little arms flailing as the nurse backed away. 

“Alright, I want you to cut this part here,” The nurse said. Jaemin took a deep breath and nodded, cutting the cord with painstaking care. “You’re doing well.” The nurse encouraged him, and finally, the process was complete. Jaemin sniffled and handed the blood tipped scissors back, leaning over until he was almost eye level with his daughter.

“My miracle, daddy’s here. You look so cold,” Jaemin pouted, looking up at the nurses. “Do all babies shake so much? She looks freezing.” Jaemin asked, sighing in relief when one of them walked over with a hat and blanket.

“She’s small, she may be having a bit of trouble regulating her temperature,” the nurse said. Jaemin’s body tensed, but the nurse was quick to assure him that she would be okay. “She doesn’t have very much fat, so she will have a bit more trouble regulating her temperature. We need to make sure she’s wrapped up nicely so she doesn’t get cold.” The nurse explained, putting a hat over the baby’s head. 

“She will be okay? That’s not abnormal?” Jaemin asked worriedly, reaching out to touch his daughter’s tiny hand. 

“Not for her birth weight. She will be just fine,” The nurse said, wrapping the baby up and lifting her. “Should we go see mama?” The nurse asked, guiding Jaemin with her. Renjun had been watching the whole time, tears still falling in thick rivulets down his cheeks. Jaemin was quick to kiss them away as their daughter was handed to Renjun, all clean and warm. 

“Hi, little girl,” Renjun whispered, placing a delicate kiss on her wrinkled forehead. “You’ve had a big day, I can’t believe how calm you are.” Their baby cooed, hardly loud enough to hear. The nurse returned after too little time, placing a gentle hand on Jaemin’s shoulder.

“Jaemin-ssi, since we need to finish Renjun-ssi’s surgery, we’d like for you to come to do skin-to-skin care with her. When your baby feels your skin and hears your heartbeat, it makes her more comfortable and feel safe,” The nurse said, and Jaemin nodded along. The nurse took the baby from Renjun and guided Jaemin up. 

“I love you,” Jaemin said, leaning down to give Renjun a sweet kiss.

“I love you. Be careful, hug her gently,” Renjun said, watching as the woman carried their child away. 

“I will, my love,” Jaemin promised, kissing Renjun once more before walking toward the door. A nurse pulled the outer covering off Jaemin’s clothes and took the gloves, mask, and hair covering back. The nurse then guided them to a cozy recovery room, motioning for Jaemin to sit on the couch. 

“I’m going to pop the leg rest up for you,” The nurse said, and Jaemin voiced his agreement. Once he was settled the way the nurse wanted him, she returned to the small bassinet she’d placed his daughter in and lifted her up. “You can either pull your shirt up or take it off. It might be easier to take it off all the way.” The nurse said, gently pulling the front of the blanket wrapping his baby open. 

Jaemin pulled his shirt off and laid it gently on the couch, leaning back as the nurse brought his now whining daughter to him. She was shivering again, little arms and legs flailing as the nurse laid her gently on Jaemin’s chest. 

“Angel, it’s daddy,” Jaemin said, wiping away the tears that began to fall. His daughter calmed and snuggled to him, little groans and whines coming up from her chest. “Oh, my sweet little one. You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for you.” Jaemin whispered, rubbing his hand up and down her back. She cooed and yawned, little mouth opening so wide. 

“Oh, so sleepy, my angel. You had such a big day,” Jaemin cooed, running his finger over the baby’s tiny nose. They were silent together for some time, Jaemin entranced by his daughter’s small nose, smacking lips and closed eyes. She hadn’t opened them for anyone, and it was nerve-wracking yet so exciting to think that his daughter had still yet to see the world. 

Then, as if hearing his thoughts, one of the baby’s eyes blinked open, followed closely by the second. Jaemin gasped softly, staring into his child’s dark brown eyes as she looked up at him for the very first time. “Good job, angel. You opened your eyes!” Jaemin cooed, overwhelmed with love. The very first thing his daughter ever saw was him. 

“I’m going to make you so happy,” Jaemin promised, caressing his child’s cheek. “I will be there to support you in anything you do. I’ll come to all your games, all your performances. I’ll help you with your homework, teach you how to ride a bike. I’ll kiss all your boo-boos better and sing you to sleep every night. Daddy will always be there, right next to you.” Jaemin sniffled. His daughter cooed and rubbed her face into his chest. 

Once their time was over and the nurse came back to take the baby from him, Jaemin was wholeheartedly in love. It was a feeling he’d never felt before, the intrinsic devotion and desperation to be the best person he could be for his baby. The little girl cried as she was placed back in her bassinet, but Jaemin was quick to lift himself up.

“It’s okay, angel. Daddy’s here. You’ll be just fine,” Jaemin said, and her little cries died down. 

“Once Renjun-ssi’s surgery is finished, they’ll bring him back here. I know that the uncle is here, so he can come in and wait with you now, but friends will have to wait until Renjun has woken and gotten checked over,” The nurse explained, and Jaemin bowed in thanks as she left. He sighed loudly, crashing down on the couch. 

He was a dad. Holy shit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.buymeacoffee.com/meltediceangel (helps pay for medical school)
> 
> The next chapter will be heavily focused on Renjun and the emotional impact on him, so I hope you stay with me and enjoy. Chenle will also have a large part with Jaemin, being the only other blood relative. 
> 
> I have the baby's Chinese name already picked out, but I'm having trouble finding a good, suitable Korean name for her. It feels like I'm naming a real baby I've put so much work into this story. I don't want it to fall short. I can't wait to introduce baby J's name in the next chapter. I spent a long time with a friend of mine from China picking it out. I truly had the best support system when writing this monster "controversial" story. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> To those of you that survived the first half of this monster short story, thank you! I spent far too much time on this, but I hope that the lovely person who requested it as well as all of you who read it found it at least somewhat entertaining. I have one more chapter that is halfway done, and then a small epilogue. I hope you stick around!
> 
> I live off your comments and kudos! Please keep in mind that all that happened in this story was a mirror of a friend of mine's own experiences. I know that it's different for everyone, and this may not match someone you know or your own experiences. I did not pull this out of nowhere, I promise. I did the best research I could think of; spending time with my lovely friend and her baby! :)
> 
> Ask me questions: https://curiouscat.qa/gypsyether


End file.
